Maria
Elizabeth Schäffer(Hunter
Lists #636)
MATRIARCH OF THE Schäffer
FAMILY IN AMERICA

The
following is a quote, permission graciously granted by Henry
Jones, Jr., from his 2 volume work, THE PALATINE FAMILIES OF NEW YORK 1710,
"A Study of the German Immigrants Who Arrived in Colonial New York in 1710,"
1985, 1,350 pages, indexed, copies of which can be purchased from him at
Henry A. Jones, Jr.,
PO Box261388,
San Diego, CA 92196-1338,
$89.50.

This book by Henry Z. Jones, Jr., documents Mara Elisabeth Schaffer and her
family who settled in Schoharie County, NY. We still don't know the German
village of her origin, but Henry Jones is preparing to issue a new book on
these early Palatines in the next few months and hopes to have discovered
it. We hope he is successful in his search!

"Maria Elisabetha Schafferin made her first appearance on the Hunter Lists
30 June 1710 with 4 pers. over 10 yrs. of age and 2 pers. under 10 in the
family. Her last entry on Hunter was 4 Aug 1710 with 5 pers. over 10 and 3
pers. under 10 yrs. of age. Her listing may have been continued by #627 Johannes
Schaffer: 1) his entries begin 4 Ott 1710 with 5 pers. over 10 and under 10
yrs. when #637 Maria Elisabetha Schafferin's end; and 2) a Johannes Schaffer
sp. Henrich Meyer at West Camp in 1711, and a Henrich Meyer was recorded near
Maria Elisabetha Schafferin on the the June 1710 Hunter Roll (HJ). Maria Schafer,
the mother was listed with Johann Schafer and his family on Pastor Sommer's
Family List ca. 1744 (Schoharie Luth. Chbk.). Elisabeth Schafer d. 28 March
1749, aged 85 yrs. (Schoharie Luth. Chbk.) . The ch. of Maria Elisabethal
Schafferin (erroneously attributed to #634 Gerhard Schaffer in the past -
HJ) were:

1) "Johannes2 (HJ). Perhaps he was the John Schaffer of Queensbury who was
a Palatine Volunteer to Canada in 1711 (HJ). A Johannes Schaffer sp. Henrich
Meyer in 1711 (West Camp Luth. Chbk.). Johannes Schaffer and his wife Anna
Maria were recorded next to the Hanss Henrich and Johannes Zijller families
at Neu-Ansberg ca. 1716/17 (Simmendinger Register). Pastor Berkenmeyer mentioned
Johannes Schdffer often in Albany Protocol.

In 1736 on p. 190 he wrote: "After the service we returned to the home of Hannes
Scheffer. The first thing he said was to ask me why I had bpt. the child b.
out of wedlock, without having the mother first do pennance in the church. It
was he who had said to Van Diren that he would not come again if he were willing
to bpt. the child. When I remonstrated in a kindly way, I received the answer
that I had put blame on the Luth. congregation and that if the Amsterdam Consistory
did not adhere closer to the Luth. doctrine, then he would have nothing to do
with it. There was no way of calming him down until his anger had spent itself.
Then he asked
me to have dinner with him, but I refused and said I should be happy to do so
tomorrow after the first service. (See also pp. 98, 100, 161, 197, and 218 for
more references to Johannes Schaffer in the Protocol).

iii)
"Henrich (Pastor Sommer's Family List). Martinus, and Johannes Scheffer were
conf. at Schohare in 1737 (Loonenburg Luth. Chbk.)
Henrich md. 1 Nov 1748 Eva Sternberger
(Schoharie Luth. Chbk.). Their Family Bible is to be found in the attic of the
Old Stone Fort at Schoharie (HJ). Henrich drowned 8 April 1757 (Schoharie Luth.
Chbk.)

"Also, the Anna
Sibylla Schaster conf. 16 Feb 1716 at Newtown should be placed in one of the
many Schaffer families of colonial N.Y. She probably was the Anna Sibella Shefering
aged 10, d/o Ann. Maria S., bound to Dr. John Nerbury of Ferry, L.I. on 17 Ott
1710 on the Apprenticeship Lists (HJ)."